10 Tips for Planning More Fun Office Parties

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The office’s
party’s coming up next week and you’re already spending sleepless nights.

But it’s not all
the fun you’re having that’s keeping you awake.

You can already
see it in your mind’s eye. Everyone standing around, a drink in hand, having
awkward work-related conversations that quickly die out.

A couple of brave
people try to hit the dance floor and quickly give up. The passive crowd
somehow seems to suck out any and all dynamic energy from the room.

Can this vision of
horror be averted? Not with that attitude!

Having a fun
office party is a surefire way of breaking the ice created by the everyday
professional requirements.

The party
environment is ideal for people to loosen up, have fun together, and get to
know each other better.

As a result,
your coworkers’
moods will improve and they’ll become more
tight-knit. A team that likes working together is a more productive team.

Whoever said
office parties can’t be fun hadn’t read this article.

We’ll review 10
essential tips to make your office party a success and have people ask you for
more.

Read on before you
party on!

1. Include Everyone

As you start
preparing the party, make everyone feel involved in it.

If people feel
they have a say, they’ll be more committed. And more commitment means more fuel
for your party.

Ask around for
people’s preferences. What venue would they like? What type of food and music
do they want?

Create a space to
gather their input. Make a Facebook group or create a poll. Put a suggestion
box in place to share ideas.

2. Create a Buzz

You want to draw
people’s attention to the party that’s going to take place. You’re raising
awareness and building up anticipation, just like a movie trailer.

If you manage to
make people think this party’s going to be awesome before even going there,
then they’ll be enthusiastic about it.

And if they’re
stoked about it, they’ll make it awesome by showing up with a great attitude.

Belief is a
powerful tool. You’re engineering a memorable party just by convincing people
it’s going to be exceptional!

Create a buzz by
having people talk about it. Build a fire and feed it until it sustains itself.

Then, deliver a
great party.

3. Pick a Special Venue

You want to have a
suitable venue for your awesome office party. You’ve built up expectations, now
it’s time to meet them!

If you’ve done
your homework and asked around for people’s opinions, they’ve probably already
given you a handful of good suggestions.

You want the place
to be dynamic and foster interactions. It should be elegant enough to give
people the sense that they’re being treated with consideration.

It should have
something for everyone: a relaxed space for those who just want to relax and
have a conversation, and more open areas for those who are feeling livelier.

And of course, you
can’t have a proper party without a dance floor!

Get a portable
dance floor for when the temperature rises
and everyone has the uncontrollable urge to dance.

4. Have Delicious Food

Food and drink are
essential components of your exceptional party.

Depending on your
crowd, make sure to offer vegetarian and vegan options. A buffet can be ideal
to offer a large variety of foods. It’s also very congenial as people can just
eat at their own pace and keep the conversation going.

Although you don’t
want to overextend yourself. It’s better to have fewer choices and better
quality than an overabundance of mediocre food.

So, keep it simple
but use excellent ingredients.

5. Have an Award Ceremony

People like to
feel acknowledged and appreciated.

An award ceremony
is a great way of keeping people engaged as well as giving them something to
talk about.

It’s a perfect
event to mix seriousness and humor. You can use it as an opportunity to
recognize the merit of each employees in front of the whole firm.

But it can also be
an occasion for great comedic value. Don’t make it overly serious and
work-like. After all, it’s a party!

So, make sure to
acknowledge your coworkers’ outstanding work, but make it personable and
light-hearted.

You can be sure
that everyone will still be talking about it long after the party. This is how
great memories are formed.

6. Create an Ambiance

Make your party
feel like a party!

Lighting is very
important in creating an atmosphere that’ll make people want to have fun.

Use spotlights of different
colors and place them in strategic places to make the room look cool.

Change the
settings to influence or match the mood as the evening goes on.

7. Play Great Music

Naturally, music
is a vital part of a successful party.

Hire a DJ if you
can afford it. Their whole job is to keep the party going and engage everyone.

If not, make sure
to play music that people can dance to. Read the room and be ready to switch
genres if you don’t sense a great response.

Prepare several
playlists in advance so that you don’t get caught off guard.

8. Karaoke

Karaoke is fun.

Whether it allows
Stacy to show off her amazing singing skills or Kevin to sing terribly off-key,
karaoke is a very entertaining activity.

It’ll keep people
focused and give them a sense of anticipation as they’re waiting for their turn
to sing.

9. Team Building

The office party’s
an excellent opportunity for team building.

Team building has
become quite popular, and not without reason. It allows everyone to feel
integrated in the company and build closer bonds between employees.

Make your
coworkers happier and more productive by giving them a sense of belonging.

10. Support a Charity

Consider helping a
local charity.

Ask everyone to
bring donations or canned food to help the needy. Don’t forget to set up
suitable means of collecting the donations.

Make it a theme
for the party. It’ll give it a deeper meaning and expand its scope.

Now, it’s not just
an office party, but an event that’s meant to give something back to the world.

Fun Office Parties Aren’t Just a Myth

Now you have 10
essential tips to make a fun office party that everyone will remember.

Make sure to grab people’s attention and keep them engaged in the event you’re organizing. Then arrange thrilling activities and provide them with quality food and drink. Make people feel emotions and they’ll talk about your party long after it’s done.